March 3, 2016

Pay frozen for Pitt senior administrators

The University is freezing salaries for Pitt’s senior leaders due to ongoing uncertainty about the University’s fiscal year 2016 state appropriation.

Typically, the Board of Trustees compensation committee sets officers’ salaries in December, retroactive to the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

“This matter was originally deferred pending the passage of a commonwealth budget and appropriation for the University and the approval of the University’s fiscal year 2016 operating budget,” explained Board of Trustees chair Eva Tansky Blum in a March 1 compensation committee teleconference meeting.

“In light of the continuing uncertainty surrounding both the timing and the amount of the University’s appropriation,” Blum said the committee would take no action, holding officers’ salaries at their current levels this fiscal year, at the recommendation of Chancellor Patrick Gallagher.

Gallagher told the committee: “Given the circumstances we’re facing, it was the right and prudent thing to do for us to forgo raises this year.

“I don’t think this puts us at any risk for any adverse condition in the short term and we will be focused on continuing to move the University forward.”

Blum thanked Gallagher and the officers for their contributions in the prior year: “We are grateful for your understanding in this matter and for all the things that you do for us in this very challenging and uncertain period.”

In December 2014, Beeson’s salary was set at $420,000; Levine’s at $847,500 and Marsh’s at $447,500.

Ramicone’s salary was set at $387,000, but the compensation committee adjusted his salary, effective Jan. 1, 2015, to $400,000 given his interim responsibilities for the business, auxiliary operations, facilities, public safety and human resource functions following Executive Vice Chancellor Jerome Cochran’s retirement.

In February 2014 Gallagher’s pay was set at $525,000 with deferred annual payments of $100,000 that will vest if he remains chancellor for five years.

Humphrey’s salary was set at $395,000 in February 2015, following her election as an officer of the University.

Washington assumed her duties last August at an initial salary of $395,000, which was set in June 2015 by the board’s compensation committee.